Staff, equipment shortages delay Barishal children’s hospital opening

A 200-bed specialised children’s hospital, built at a cost of around Tk24 crore in Amanatganj of Barishal city to provide advanced healthcare to children in the southern region, remains unopened despite the completion of construction.
The launch has been held up by several administrative complications, including the installation of medical equipment, handover of the building and recruitment of the necessary manpower. Several deadlines for opening the hospital were announced between April and August this year. Most recently, on 15 August, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman indicated that the hospital could be inaugurated in October. However, October has passed without any visible progress, leaving uncertainty over when children in the southern region will receive treatment at the facility.
In late April, Divisional Commissioner Khalil Ahmed visited the hospital and directed the authorities to begin operations within a week.
Later, during a visit to Barishal on 11 May, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain announced that the hospital would be opened by 1 August. Earlier, on 2 June, Prime Minister's Health Affairs Special Assistant Dr SM Ziauddin Haider also expressed the possibility of opening it by August after inspecting the facility.
Most recently, at the inauguration of the newly constructed building of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in the capital on 15 August, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said five specialised children's hospitals, including the one in Barishal, could be inaugurated simultaneously in October. However, no effective progress has been made towards the inauguration or commencement of medical services despite the passing of the announced deadline.
Recruitment of the required manpower remains a major obstacle to launching the hospital. According to the Barishal Divisional Health Office, the Health and Finance Ministries have approved a manpower structure comprising 1,440 posts for the facility.
Of the total posts, 715 are cadre positions and 725 non-cadre positions. These include posts ranging from deputy director and senior and junior consultants to senior staff nurses and other personnel.
Although the manpower structure has been approved, the necessary administrative clearances from the Public Administration and Finance Ministries are still pending. As a result, the authorities concerned cannot say when recruitment notices will be published or the recruitment process will begin. A health department official, seeking anonymity, said administrative approval from three key ministries would be required before recruitment could begin. This would be followed by recommendations from the Secretaries' Committee on Administrative Development and approval from the Prime Minister. The recruitment process could start only after these formalities are completed.
Barishal Divisional Director of Health Dr Md Refayetul Haider said some necessary items had yet to arrive at the hospital.
“Some problems remain. Medicines have not arrived yet. Furniture has arrived, but equipment is still missing. The doctors' posts and salary codes have been created. The outpatient department may open in December,” he said.
Barishal Divisional Commissioner Khalil Ahmed said five specialised children's hospitals, including the one in Barishal, would be launched together. “We are fully prepared on our part. The process of recruiting the necessary manpower will begin soon. Once recruitment is completed, the specialised children's hospital in Barishal will be opened as quickly as possible,” he said.